Portable miter box



Oct. 18, 1960 R. l. JOHNSON 2,956,598

PORTABLE unaa BOX Filed May 22, 1959 M INVENTOR.

ROBERT I. JOHNSON ATTORNEYS .Fatented Oct. 18, 1960 PQRTABLE METER BOX Robert 1. Johnson, 3425 Concord St., Eugene, Oreg. Filed May 22, 1959, Ser. No. 815,156 1 Claim. (Cl. '14388) The present invention relates to a portable miter box for bevel cutting boards.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a miter tool for guiding a saw in making angle and compound angle cuts in pieces of lumber; the device being adjustable to cut an angle cut, a bevel cut, or a combination of both angle or bevel cuts at the same time.

A further object of the invention is to provide a miter box which is light in weight, compact in size and can be easily carried in the pocket of the person using the same, to be applied directly to the material being cut.

Another object of the invention is to provide a miter box with which all standard carpenter saws can be used for making the cuts, making it simple to use, eliminating the need for a special saw.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the following specification when considered in light of the attached drawin s, in which:

Figure l is a top plan view of the invention;

Figure 2 is a side view of the structure shown in Figure l, with broken lines indicating various adjusted positions;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 33 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several figures, the reference character M indicates generally a miter tool constructed in accordance with the invention. The miter tool M includes an angular shaped body 19 which is set up against one corner of the lumber 11 and is clamped thereto. Referring to Figure 3, a boss 12 is formed integrally With the body member and has passing therethrough a movable jaw 13. The jaw 13 includes a shaft 14, which passes through a hole 15 formed in the boss 12 and has a right angled portion 16 formed thereon for gripping the opposite edge of the lumber at 1'7.

Extending upwardly from the boss 12 is a pedestal 18 upon which rests one end of a locking element 19. The opposite end of the locking element 19 is pivotally connected at 29 to a toggle link 21, pivotally mounted at 22 within a lever 23. The lever 23 is pivotally mounted at 24 to the boss 12.

In the operation of the locking mechanism, the shaft 14 is raised until the right angle portion 16 thereof contacts the lower edge 17 of the lumber 11. At this time the locking lever 23 is in a lowered position, moving the locking element 19 to a level position, thus releasing the cam grip engagement thereof with the shaft 14 and permitting the shaft 14 to slide therethrough freely.

When the locking lever 23 is raised to the position shown, the toggle link 21 will raise the locking element 19, causing a cam action gripping of the shaft 14 tightly within the hole therethrough. The movement of lever 23 gives a final cinching up to the locking jaw element 13 in gripping the lumber 11 and holding the body element 19 of the tool tightly thereto. Mounted to the body it by a double pivot mounting IS a saw guide The guide 25 includes a plate 26, having a pair of spring clips 27 fixedlysecured thereto by any suitable means, as for instance the screws 28.

In the operation of the device, the saw 29 operates against the plate 26 of the guide 25 underneath the spring clip 27, the clips maintaining the saw 29 in alignment with the guide plate 26 at all times.

Extending outwardly and forming part of the guide plate 26 are ears 30. The cars 30 are pivotally connected to a second pair of ears 31 by adjustable clamping bolts 32. The cars 31 form part of a base 33. The base 33 is rotatably mounted to the base supporting plate 34 by a locking bolt 35. The base plate 34 forms part of the body it and is integral therewith.

When it is desirable to cut the lumber 11 at right angles thereto, as for instance along the broken line 36, the guide plate 26 will be at right angles to the lumber 11 to be cut and in a vertical position, as viewing Figures 1 and 2.

in the event it is desired to cut the lumber 11 at an angle, as indicated in Figure l by the broken line 37, the locking bolts 32 are loosened and the guide plate 26 is moved to the broken line position. The degree marks 38 indicate the degree of angle. When the guide plate 26 has come to the proper position, the locking bolts 32 are again tightened, holding the saw 29 in the proper position.

in the event it is desired to cut a bevel, indicated in Figure 2 by the broken line 39, the locking bolt 35 is loosened and the base plate 33 is revolved on the base supporting plate 34, bringing the saw guide plate 26 to the broken line position, as seen in Figure 2.

One of the outstanding features of this invention is in the provision of the adjustment of the miter tool that will guide the saw through the lumber or material on a bevel, or on an angle either in combination or in separate adjustments.

Another outstanding feature of the miter tool is that a standard carpenters saw can be used in connection with the same.

Having thus described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it should be understood that numerous structural modifications and adaptations may be resorted to without departing from the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A portable miter guide for wood sawing comprising an angular body having a pair or" angularly related legs for engaging one corner of a piece of lumber, an apertured boss on one leg of said body, a shaft extending through the aperture in said boss, a movable gripping jaw on said shaft; the other leg of said body comprising an opposed fixed jaw, a pedestal on said boss, a lever pivotally secured to said boss, a toggle link pivoted at one end to said lever, an apertured locking element pivoted at one end to the other end of said toggle link, the other end of said locking element engaging said pedestal, said shaft extending through. the aperture in said locking element to be clamped thereby in one position of adjustment of said lever and released in another position of adjustment thereof, a supporting plate secured to said one leg of said body, a base plate rotatably mounted on said supporting plate, a clamping bolt for securing said supporting plate against rotation, a pair or" ears extending from said base plate, a guide plate, ears on said guide plate, adjustable clamping bolts pivotally connecting said first-mentioned and said second mentioned ears pivotally mounting said guide plate for rotation about an axis perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said base plate on said supporting plate, and a pair of inverted U-shaped spring guides secured to said guide plate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,257,099 Nace et al Feb. 19, 1918 1,575,354 Martin Mar. 2, 1926 2,705,029 Zophel Mar. 29, 1955 

